Japanese History
Ancient History Billions of year ago, after many of demonic Elder Gods were purged from Earth by the Demogorge, then rose the pantheons of gods known as the Amatsu-Kami originating in the other dimensional realm known as Ama. Led by Izanagi, the progenitor and ruler of the gods traveled to the region that would one day be known as Japan via the Ama-No-Hashidate (the "Bridge of Heaven", near modern-day Miyazu Bay in northern Kyoto Prefecture). The region was also inhabited by Kami, inluding the Kinitsu-Kami, Tengu, the Shinma from Yomi, the underworld, and Oni. Hyborian Age / Jamond Period (10,000 BC) The humans of that region began to worship the Amatsu-kami as gods circa 10,000 BC, during the Jamon period. During the Hyborian Age, circa 10,000 BC, a civilization called Yamatai existed that had many elements similar to Japanese culture. Conan, early in his youth, encountered a blind warrior from Yamatai, Shimata-Kawa. Conan later faced Nojingo, the witch-queen of Yamatai. Nojingo's father was Tawaralin Sho. Nojingo summoned the wind demon Vuu-Shiin. Tawaraline Sho awakened Yuro-Jiin, the huge tortoise on whose broad back all of Yamatai was said to rest. Thousands years ago, the Spider-People, descendants of the spider-god Omm, built the temple of the Spider beneath the Hidaka Mountains (modern-day Hokkaid Prefecture). In undefined ancient times (but presumably post-Hyborian), the exiled god Susa-No-O-Izumo, defeated the eight-forked serpent of Koshi. He found a perfect sword in the belly of the dragon. He took this sword to Amaterasu. This sword eventually acquired the name of Kusanagi-No-Tsurugi. Yao Period (300 B.C. to 250 A.D.) During the Yao period, 300 B.C. to 250 A.D. many of the human tribes on the island began to organize into larger political entities. It was during this time of political upheaval that ninja clans using guerrilla warfare began to emerge. 1st to 2nd Century Circa 81-110 CE Prince Yamato Take used Susano's sword, the Kusanagi-No-Tsurugi. Heian period - 9th to 10th Century Circa 1000 CE, Izanagi, a Japanese god, attended a gathering of the gods of Earth that discusses the threat of the Celestials. Kamakura period - 12th Century By the 12th century, the power of the imperial court began to wane as the Samurai grew to power and in 1185, the Minamoto family overthrew the government and established Japan's first Shogunate, a military government with the emperor being reduced to a figurehead. Muromachi period - 13th Century - 14th Century During the Japanese Feudal period, Gilgamesh, the Eternal Warrior, was reincarnated as a Japanese samurai. He was called upon to slay a woman named Akima who was killed and turned into a demonic creature. Freeing her soul, Gilgamesh returned to the sleep of death . Ho-Ti, the Japanese god, had a misadventure during this general period. Azuchi–Momoyama period - 15th Century By the 15th century Japan had decended into a century of civil war with warlord battling for dominance. Black Axe fought in Japan's Sengoku period wars, befriended the Tamayoshi smiths family (who helped him refine his axe) and began a blood feud with the Hand. It was during this time Muramasa is a legendary samurai swordsmith forged the Muramasa Blade. The True Believers splintered from the Hand and seytled in Korea. Azuchi–Momoyama period - 16th Century It was during this time the Shoeshei Order was formed to protect japan from supernatural threats. The demon Kao-Goto Suru escaped from Yomi and attacked the nation of Japan. The gods empowered a group of Samurai warriors to become the Masters of Silence to defeat the threat. The Civil Wars were brought to an end and three warlords Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa united Japan.. In 1570, Toyotomi led his country in war with China, invading Korea to use as an operation ground. Another account stated the Hand started in 1575, in Kyushu, with Kagenobu Yoshioka who killed a foreigner threatening his mother. The blame went to her, and Kagenobu was taken in custody of Saburo Ishiyama who trained him in the ways of the Samuraï at the Ishiyama School. A masterless Samuraï, Kagenobu served Japan, opposing corruption and injustice for three years. At his sensei's death, he return to the School to lead it in 1588, offering a role of co-leader to his former rival Daisuke Sasaki. Learning that the Daimyos implemented regulations to the schools, Kagenobu decided to send messengers to other like-minded schools and form a secret society opposing the government, causing the resurgence of the Hand that year. In 1582 the dragon the Wani attacks humans for the O-Wata-Tsu-Mi, but a Japanese warrior stops him. In autumn 1588, he attacked a foreigner ship in Kyushu, slaughtering the whole crew. In summer 1590, the Inner Circle of the Hand gathered at the Ishiyama School. Kagenobu later accepted Eliza Martinez, a half-breed Japanese girl, to join the school, using her father to gather information but growing feeling for her. On autumn 1592, she was accepted among the Hand (and in Kagenobu's bed). Soon, the Hand grew this large that it became hard to control it: Communication between the sects broke off, Hand agents sold their skill as mercenaries and committing crimes against Japanase, rumors or dissension. Eliza's lineage was revealed to some, and in 1594, Hand members tried to kill her, seeing her as a disease infecting the Hand and corrupting Kagenobu. Kagenobu confronted Saski (who had called the Inner Circle to discuss the Hand without Kagenobu), killed his rival and soon confronted the Inner Circle. Despite killing many members, the duo was defeated, and ended their lives rather than be killed by their enemies. The remaining Inner Circle members then brought them back to life, using the resurrection ritual for the first time, as the Hand's deadly weapons. In 1590, Toyotomi was targeted by the fellow Japanese warlord known as the Raven, but the attack was foiled by Raven's brother Seagull. Edo period - 17th Century - 18th Century In 1603, Tokugawa Leyasu relocated Japan's capital to Edo and forced the nation into and isolationist state. In 1615, Grace and her brother Albert were in Japan protecting the Shogun Tokugawa during a coup. The demon worshipping Clan Ashura tricked Hana Yanowa into merging with the demon Ryuki in an attempt to to open a gateway between Yomi and Earth. She was defeated by her sister Mana who trapped her with a jewel reckless. Edo period - 19th Century In 1833, Ichisumi was a geisha and daughter of a Samurai who lived in Kumamoto, Japan. When her mutant powers arose, she used them to send beetles to attack all the other geisha's sending her mad in the process until she was found by Apocalypse and recruited her to join her Horseman. In 1834, a Russian and Japanese group of explorers discovered a massive crude oil deposit in Alaska. They made a map to the crude oil deposit, but the explorers died while trying to make the trip back. In 1882, a group of Russian merchant sailors discovered an Inuit tribe had found the map to the oil deposit. The Emperor Mutsuhito of Japan was informed as to the map's discovery. Meiji period - 19th Century Imperial Japan In 1868, Japan's Shoganate government came to end and the Meiji Emperor took power. This began the reign of the nation of Imperial Japan. It was during this time the Path of Destiny formed in hopes of preserving Japanese culture as well as using western philosophy to usurp power. In 1885, Mutsuhito dispatched samurai such as Hijiro Nguri and Shintaro Aiichi as part of a plan to assert Japanese control over the oil. In 1890's Japan began to industrialise and urbanise. It was during this time the Yakuza gangs emerged along with the Clan Yashida who both took part in criminal activities all across Japan. First Sino-Japanese War In 1895, Japan became and imperialist power going to war with China and defeating them taking much of their land. Taishō period - 20th Century Russo-Japanese War In 1905, they went to war with Russia and defeated their forces. This began the campaign to usurp Asia into the Imperial Empire. World War I In 1914, Japan joined World War I on the side of Great Britain and her allies, gaining some Pacific islands from Germany at the end of the war. Shōwa period - 20th Century 1920's saw the resurgence of the Cult of the Black Blade. 1930's The 1930's witnessed Tengu of the Shadowmasters active in Japan. The immortal warrior Ogun served in the Japanese Army. He met Logan several times and once possibly the Ancient One, the former Sorcerer Supreme. Second Sino-Japanese War In 1932, Japanese troops moved into eastern china and invaded regions such as Manchuria. They took possession of much of eastern China by 1937 American reporter Mark Todd was reporting on the war when he was attacked by a group of Japanese soldiers. He escaped to a cave and encountered the mystical Skull Men who taught him how to become the Blazing Skull. Also during this period, Bill Waring came to Japan to learn Jujitsu as part of his training that saw him become the costumed hero known as the Challenger. World War II For a complete history see 'Imperial Japan's activities during World War II' In 1939, Japan started to colonize Southeast Asia, starting with the French Indochina. Also in this year, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact that made up the Axis Powers. In December 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the attack marked the United States official entry into World War II. One of the most devastating weapons created by the Japanese during the war was the Makado Super-Shell, a massive mortar shell launcher built by the Paw in 1942 on the shores of Yokahama Harbor. The weapon was destroyed by Captain America and Bucky. In 1943, Japanese soldier Baron Togi used decoy boats to lure American vessels into booby-trapped Papau Harbour to be destroyed. This operation was thwarted by the Sub-Mariner. In 1944, there were two military installations placed in the Kobe Island region. The first was to build a massive sub-mariner to use against Allied Forces. This factory and the super-sub were destroyed by the Sub-Mariner. The second installation was an airfield that was arming for an areal invasion of the United States. It was destroyed by a volcano made active by the Human Torch and Toro. In the so-called Valley of Death, the Destroyer stopped Japanese operative the Face from creating a chemical weapon to unleash on Allied Forces, by exposing the Face and his minions to the gas, killing them all. During the Pacific Theater of the war, many Japanese held islands which were liberated by American troops. On February 1, 1944, Combat Casey and Penny Pennington were among troops that liberated Kwajaelin Atoll. Later on June 15, 1944 Casey and Penny were part of the 27th Infantry Division's clash with Japanese forces on the island of Saipan. In 1945, Logan was captured by Japanese soldiers in Japan, where he was sent to a prison camp in Nagasaki. Logan escaped from his cell along with Lt. Ethan Warren, an American soldier who was also captured, and found refuge and love in a local Japanese girl, named Atsuko. Unfortunately, Lt. Warren, himself a mutant, returned and murdered the girl and the two men fought, until both were caught in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima that destroyed much of the city. Logan survived, but was devastated to lose another woman in his life. Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers on August 15, 1945. Post World Warr II After the war ended, Logan lived Jasmine Falls, Japan, and he studied with Bando Saburo, in order to learn how to be a man and leave his warrior nature behind. Finally at peace since Silver Fox's supposed death, Logan met and fell in love with a local woman, named Itsu Akihiro and they married and conceived a child together, unknown to Logan. In 1946, while Logan was proving himself worthy of being a father in combat, the demon sword-smith, Muramasa, created an explosion that caused Logan to accidentally stab a villager with his claws. Logan was banned from the village, but wanted to say good-bye to Itsu. Returning to their self-built home, Logan found Itsu murdered, by Bucky Barnes, now the brainwashed Winter Soldier. Although Barnes ostensibly served the USSR, he was acting under Romulus' orders. Believing their child to be dead, Logan mistakenly blamed Muramasa, who captured and tortured him. When Muramasa's underlings prepared to dispose of Logan, Romulus, or maybe his operative, killed them. Unknown to Logan, Romulus took the child from Itsu's womb, and he was safely born and adopted by a Japanese couple. This child was named Akihiro, but he eventually took the name "Daken", which means "Mongrel". Nine years later Daken fell under the influence of Romulus, and he was told lies that his father despised him and abandoned him, filling Daken with hatred. Cold War In 1952, Japan regained independence. US retains several islands for military use, including Okinawa. In the 1950's, atomic testing revived many monsters, mostly notably Godzilla, who would attack Japan. Logan saw some of these attacks. Monster Island is located near Japan. Apparently two Monster Islands exist; that of the Mole Man and one used by the Japanese government. It has also been hinted that the US government has dumped creatures there. Modern Era Sunfire became a champion for the people of Japan and battled the X-Men His activities protecting his home brought him into conflict with Namor, the Sub-Mariner. References Category:History